spirit clouds at bottom

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Thatstink
Novice
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:31 am

spirit clouds at bottom

Post by Thatstink »

Hi guys/girls. I have been distilling and a member here for about a little more than a year now. Christ was the first few months nasty tasting (thanks turbo) :lolno: . I have made some big improvements in my product since finding this site, big thanks to you guys and a lot of lurking in the background from me. I have a been distilling 2 products/ washes. 60gal of each. 1 a bran and white sugar I got from here and on the 2nd uncle Jesse corn whiskey.(on the 4th gen) Both taste great. But I have noticed after a few days I get some clouding in the bottom of the bottle only once i have added water to dilute to 40/50 %. no clouding if left as it comes off the still. and it clouds a bit after 2-3 days. When I say clouds its a small amount only noticeable if I move the liquid around. I can get rid of that by filtering through coffee filter and charcoal a few times and it looks and stays crystal clear. nothing wrong with taste. it just don't look good to have crap in the bottom. Is there something else I can do to avoid the time of the slow filtering. I have tried using bottled water and tap. same outcome. Or is filtering my only solution here. Its takes longer to filter than to disti :yawn: ll

still is a 2" Boka with 50g pot. 2.5ft of copper packing. I strip the vodka first then spirit run at 93% into 300ml jars. for the uncle jesse I straight run the wash with packing no stripping and run pot fashion to retain taste.
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by still_stirrin »

Thatstink wrote:....When I say clouds its a small amount only noticeable if I move the liquid around....
Tales of tails...
Thatstink wrote:...Is there something else I can do to avoid the time of the slow filtering...
Better cuts.

Aging in a cask would also help. The oils (what's creating the white cloud) would get bound up in the wood fibers. That would help clear the spirits.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Thatstink
Novice
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:31 am

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by Thatstink »

Hi still_sturrin. I have been so convinced its my water I didn't consider tales. I distilled 2 gal yesterday and haven't played with it yet so can try making my cuts much further back. I do have some whiskey in oak chips since November. Thanks for your help. will give the cuts a go by trying a bottle right from the hearts and see how that goes.
OtisT
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3179
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by OtisT »

Sometimes you can get Cloudy results if you add Water to Alcohol. Always add Alcohol to Water. There are some threads here by smarter people that explain why. May not be your issue.

I assume you are not adding anything like sugar. That can cause some weird little clouds that settle on the bottom that look like some form of space nebula. Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
Badmotivator’s Barrels: Badmo Barrels
User avatar
VLAGAVULVIN
Distiller
Posts: 1457
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 4:52 am
Location: Western Urals

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by VLAGAVULVIN »

At the bottom... after dilution...

Maybe not only tales of tails, but I'd say 'necks', too. Check the hardness of your water. Both pH and ppm, including the bottled water mineralization (fact vs. declared).

Really though, it's all about some essential oils (or even low-temp boiling esters) of your product don't like your hard water. A hi-proof spirit dissolves them all, but the lower proofed one can not.

Chill filtering thru' cofee filter is better than charcoal. If you don't like surpluse aldehydes in your product, of course.

Imo, VV.

har druckit för mycket
User avatar
MoonBreath
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2238
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:34 pm
Location: Horseshoe Bend, Ky.

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by MoonBreath »

Also, make sure anything blended together matches at room temperature.
Equilibrium ifn ya will.
*Spend it all, Use it up, Wear it out*
Beware of sheet-sniffers and dime-droppers!
esxman
Novice
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:09 am

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by esxman »

This is akin to the wanted louche that occurs with Absinthe ,ouzo, or any product containing a lot of essential oils .The magic figure for me seems to be 47% abv , if you dare go towards 40 , the louche is not obvious , a little cloudy in the channel , but manifests itself as a fine cloud on the bottom of the container only days later, and if you invert the bottle the product goes cloudy .If you re-filter it , it again looks clear , but the cloud comes back eventually. I have a beautiful rum , but cannot get it below about 48 abv , I know why , all the herbs and spices I put in to make it like a Navy rum , nice and black and tasty are to blame , some essential oils are worse than others :- anise ,orange,juniper, liquorice to name a few. I have even tried multiple coffee filters , kitchen paper filters , nothing seems to get the product as clear and bright as it is at higher abv's . The rum now sits in a big flagon and I draw off enough to bottle , and the label says dilute like the sailors rations , grog !. Maybe I will try and get some down to 40% , and let it sit in a large flagon , and wait a few weeks and then draw off from the top, and see if it stays clear. esxman
Thatstink
Novice
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:31 am

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by Thatstink »

Hi guys/girls. Got to say still_stirring was bang on. I made cleaner cuts at the tails end and all sorted. Clear as a good diamond.

Someone mentioned heads. I didn't make any changed to the heads cuts. I hate the heads so most likely go deeper than I need. I am a whiskey drinker so tails are my down fall. Mr still_sturring keep up the good work. Knowledge is a powerful tool and you have one happy customer here. :shh:
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by still_stirrin »

Thatstink wrote:....Knowledge is a powerful tool and you have one happy customer here....
....and “experience” too....

“Been there...done that”.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
VLAGAVULVIN
Distiller
Posts: 1457
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 4:52 am
Location: Western Urals

Re: spirit clouds at bottom

Post by VLAGAVULVIN »

Congratz! :thumbup:

har druckit för mycket
Post Reply